EXPERT COMMENTS, FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTY

Matthew Richardson

Richmond champion and crowd favourite Matthew Richardson will work with Brian Taylor, Luke Darcy and Cameron Ling on a fun and edgy Saturday Night Footy call.

Of course he’ll again work with AFL callers Bruce McAvaney and Dennis Cometti on the iconic Friday Night Football, as well as joining the AFL Game Day crew on a regular basis.

After watching over 70 AFL matches in person last year, Matthew says all teams will try to get the forward press going again this year.

"The next big thing will be getting through the press. How do we break through? If you just try to keep possession, you just hem yourself in even more, so teams will try some long kicking to get out of it. Really skilful teams like Geelong are able to kick or handball out of it. But will teams adopt some other tactics?"

He says it highlights how crucial it is to win the ball out of the centre bounce, making ruckman as important as ever. And talk of rule interpretations and changes will again be part of ongoing AFL discussions and debate, he adds.

"The advantage rule is going to continue to be a contentious issue, as it will remain effectively unchanged from last season despite minor modifications to its umpiring. And no doubt there will be more controversy over goal-line technology."

Matthew also has some strong views about the chances of some of the favoured teams in 2012.

"Geelong's premiership window will be gone. Collingwood will be thereabouts again. And if the Eagles senior players can stand up again they’ll be up there too, particularly with all their home game at Subiaco. And I think the Hawks need to win one in the nextcouple of years while Cyril and Buddy are at their best."

And from a man who kicked 800 goals and the most ever by any VFL/AFL player at the MCG, Richo demands that it's about time a forward won the Brownlow. "I'll say Buddy will win it. He got a few votes last year, so if Hawthorn can play well and he kicks some goals he’ll be in with a good chance."

Like his fellow commentator Tom Harley he nominates the day Tom volunteered to go down to the boundary and let Richo go up to the commentary box to do special comments as his favourite moment of the year.

"It was all teed up a few weeks beforehand and Tommy said ‘I’ll give you a go up there, no worries'. And then it poured down on the day and was about two degrees celcius, I found that very humourous."

'Richo' has been a hero on the field for the Tigers winning three All-Australian selections, a Best & Fairest award and 13 club goal-kicking awards. He has the second most goals in the history of the Richmond Football Club and the eleventh most goals in the history of the VFL/AFL competition.